Staying competitive in the Industry 4.0 era means adopting new and exciting technologies, but what about hiring and retaining the highly skilled talent capable of leveraging them? According to a recent study by Deloitte, 63% of manufacturing and supply chain industry leaders cite “hiring and retaining the correct skilled workforce” as their biggest barrier in adopting and implementing new technologies.
In this blog post, we’re breaking down the framework of technologies that will help you embrace Industry 4.0 and the talent you’ll need to compete in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Industry 4.0 Adoption:
A Technology Framework
According to IBM, your ability to improve output, product quality, and competitiveness in the manufacturing sector through Industry 4.0 relies on a tech stack consisting of four key layers: the device layer, the IoT platform layer, the applications layer, and the industry solutions layer. Here’s a quick breakdown of each.
“The Device Layer”
This layer includes things like sensors, gateways, and programmable logic controllers that provide critical data about manufacturing assets.
“IoT Platform Layer”
The IoT platform provides connectivity to the devices and transmits data from devices to device. This layer is essential to accommodating data from all different types of equipment and encouraging collaboration throughout the manufacturing process.
“Application Layer”
Core to information technology, this layer evaluates equipment status and operational data. This is where advanced analytics are used to predict device performance issues, provide early warnings, and find patterns to make actionable decisions before downtime occurs.
“Industry Solutions Layer”
This layer adds domain expertise to the applications layer with different analytic models, tools, and cognitive capabilities that can be tailored to a company’s specific manufacturing process.
The Industry 4.0 Talent You’ll Need to Succeed
So, how can you be sure that you have an Industry 4.0 workforce that is capable of successfully implementing and managing each of these critical layers? From the factory floor to the corporate office, here are the types of professionals you’ll need to help you make the most of Industry 4.0.
IT Professionals
You can’t build the application or IoT platform layer without a strong team of IT professionals. Industry 4.0 demands an enterprise view of data, and IT professionals are critical for designing, building, troubleshooting, and maintaining these Industry 4.0 technologies. Examples include:
- Software Engineers
- Network Engineers
- Project Managers
- System Engineers
- IT Architects
Data Science Professionals
You can build all the software in the world and generate infinite amounts of data, but if you’re not able to take that information and make it actionable, it’s worthless. Data science professionals will play a key role in the adoption of Industry 4.0, turning data into consumable insights that can be utilized across your organization—from factory worker all the way up to the executive level. Examples include:
- Data Analysts
- Data Scientists
- Manufacturing Scientists
- Manufacturing System Scientists
Cybersecurity Professionals
Anyone embracing the IoT layer of Industry 4.0 will need a team of cybersecurity professionals to strengthen existing security measures and prevent potential threats. Cybersecurity talent will be key enablers of Industry 4.0 adoption. Examples include:
- Cybersecurity Architecture
- Cybersecurity Engineering
- Cybersecurity Testing
- Cybersecurity Strategists
The truth is, this is just a small sampling of the skill sets and roles that you’ll need to embrace the opportunities associated with Industry 4.0. New roles are just emerging to keep pace with this massive industry transformation. Other roles you may need to keep on your radar are things like Digital Engineers, Machine Learning Engineers, Artificial Intelligence Engineers, Digital Design Engineers, UX Designers, UX Analysts, UX Architects, Augmented Reality Software Engineers, and so much more!
This type of talent isn’t always easy to find. If you’re looking for a partner to help you identify and recruit the right talent to meet your Industry 4.0 objectives, look no further than 3Ci. Get in touch with our team today to learn more.
3Ci, our technology division, offers both business and technology consulting and talent augmentation services. If you need help determining which solution will work best for your specific project or business objective, get in touch with our team of experts today. Check out our Service Overview Sheet below.{{cta(‘3a919c08-4908-4de1-869c-119ff93341bc’,’justifycenter’)}}
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